Spencer Closs

Spencer is a true sports junkie. A graduate of the Sports Journalism program at Centennial College, he first joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2023. He is now a contributing writer. He loves finding the edge to bet on in all sports but has a deep passion for the NBA and UFC. Previous stops include Sportsnet.

Seahawks vs. Bears Week 17 same-game parlay predictions: Bet on Smith-Njigba, Moore to produce on Thursday Night Football

Seahawks vs. Bears predictions

The Seattle Seahawks take a two-game losing streak into a meeting with the Chicago Bears.

The pregame narrative: Seattle has a prime opportunity to bounce back and stay in contention for the NFC West title. Take the Seahawks to win alongside prop picks on Jaxon Smith-Njigba and D.J. Moore in this +340 wager.

Check out my Seahawks vs. Bears same-game parlay predictions for Thursday Night Football.

Seahawks vs. Bears same-game parlay predictions

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Parlay: Seahawks moneyline + Smith-Njigba over 59.5 receiving yards + Moore over 5.5 receptions (+340)

Seahawks moneyline (-190): The Bears haven’t won since defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 6 and I’m not expecting a change here.

Seattle could’ve been firmly atop the NFC West by winning the past two games but instead, it lost — to a pair of elite teams.

The Seahawks were defeated by the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings but those are top-tier NFC teams while Chicago sits in the basement of the NFC North.

Seattle would now need to beat the Bears and the Los Angeles Rams in the next two weeks to have a shot at catching L.A.

Luckily, the Seahawks have won four in a row against teams under .500 and get a matchup with a side that has lost nine straight.

Seattle is also a strong road team. It is 5-1-0 away from Lumen Field this season.

Other parlay picks

Smith-Njigba over 59.5 receiving yards (-195): The second-year receiver is growing into the No. 1 option in Seattle.

JSN has recorded the first 1,000-yard season of his career off the back of eight straight weeks with at least 69 receiving yards.

The wideout has 56 catches (7.0/game) over that timeframe and will be Geno Smith’s favourite option moving forward.

Even with a slow start, Smith-Njigba is averaging 72.6 receiving yards per game which is well over this number.

With how JSN is playing right now, this total is right around his floor as a pass catcher.

Moore over 5.5 receptions (-105): On the other side, Moore has been the alpha dog in the Bears’ receiving room.

The veteran receiver has cleared this line in six straight games.

Moore leads the Bears in receptions (83), targets (122) and yards (826), so it’s no secret he’s Caleb Williams’ top option.

As the No. 1 overall draft pick gets more comfortable in NFL situations, his receivers are seeing an uptick in production and Moore is the main beneficiary.

Picks made at 1:47 p.m. on 12/24/24.

Timberwolves vs. Mavericks prop picks Dec. 25: Back Anthony Edwards to deliver on Christmas Day

Timberwolves vs. Mavericks prop picks

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks get the afternoon slot on Christmas Day.

The pregame narrative: Anthony Edwards is having a down month but I expect him to deliver over the holidays. I’m also backing Klay Thompson to stay hot from behind the 3-point line.

Check out my Timberwolves vs. Mavericks prop picks for Dec. 25.

Timberwolves vs. Mavericks prop picks

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Best Bet: Thompson over 2.5 threes (-134)

It looks like Thompson may be shaping back into form as one of the NBA’s elite sharpshooters.

He’s shooting 39.1% from behind the arc this season. To be more specific, he makes 3.1 threes per game on 7.7 attempts.

And he’s heating up. His three-point percentage has risen to 41.7% over the last 15 games.

The volume has been solid for Klay lately which makes me extra bullish on this prop. He’s attempted at least eight threes in six of the past seven games.

Key stat: Thompson is 5-2 against this line over that span.

Quick pick

Edwards over 24.5 points (-120): Ant started the season on a tear and was looking primed to take his spot as one of the league’s elite scorers.

Even though fans know Edwards has the skill, the results in December haven’t been pretty.

  • Stats before Dec. 1: 27.7 points per game, 45.3% from the field, 42.8% from 3-point range.
  • Since Dec. 1: 20.2 points per game, 42.2 % from the field, 37.5% from 3-point range.

The biggest issue is that his volume is down. He was taking 21.2 shots per game before the start of this month and his shot attempts have plummeted to an average of 17.9 in the nine games since.

It was clear the Timberwolves needed production from elsewhere but Ant plays better the more he’s involved.

Edwards should be front and centre in this game as I can picture the all-star wanting to will his team on a national broadcast. Plus, it’s a matchup he’s been productive in.

In his first game against the Mavericks this season, Edwards had 37 points on 12-of-20 shooting. He’s scored 30-plus in three of his last four games against Dallas.

Picks made at 12:58 p.m. ET 12/24/2024.

Timberwolves vs. Mavericks prop picks Dec. 25: Back Anthony Edwards to deliver on Christmas Day

Timberwolves vs. Mavericks prop picks

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks get the afternoon slot on Christmas Day.

The pregame narrative: Anthony Edwards is having a down month but I expect him to deliver over the holidays. I’m also backing Klay Thompson to stay hot from behind the 3-point line.

Check out my Timberwolves vs. Mavericks prop picks for Dec. 25.

Timberwolves vs. Mavericks prop picks

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Best Bet: Thompson over 2.5 threes (-118)

It looks like Thompson may be shaping back into form as one of the NBA’s elite sharpshooters.

He’s shooting 39.1% from behind the arc this season. To be more specific, he makes 3.1 threes per game on 7.7 attempts.

And he’s heating up. His three-point percentage has risen to 41.7% over the last 15 games.

The volume has been solid for Klay lately which makes me extra bullish on this prop. He’s attempted at least eight threes in six of the past seven games.

Key stat: Thompson is 5-2 against this line over that span.

Quick pick

Edwards over 24.5 points (-129): Ant started the season on a tear and was looking primed to take his spot as one of the league’s elite scorers.

Even though fans know Edwards has the skill, the results in December haven’t been pretty.

  • Stats before Dec. 1: 27.7 points per game, 45.3% from the field, 42.8% from 3-point range.
  • Since Dec. 1: 20.2 points per game, 42.2 % from the field, 37.5% from 3-point range.

The biggest issue is that his volume is down. He was taking 21.2 shots per game before the start of this month and his shot attempts have plummeted to an average of 17.9 in the nine games since.

It was clear the Timberwolves needed production from elsewhere but Ant plays better the more he’s involved.

Edwards should be front and centre in this game as I can picture the all-star wanting to will his team on a national broadcast. Plus, it’s a matchup he’s been productive in.

In his first game against the Mavericks this season, Edwards had 37 points on 12-of-20 shooting. He’s scored 30-plus in three of his last four games against Dallas.

Picks made at 12:40 p.m. ET 12/24/2024.

Ravens vs. Texans Week 17 same-game parlay predictions: Back Stroud and Henry on Christmas Day

Ravens vs. Texans predictions

The Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans close out a Christmas Day NFL doubleheader.

The pregame narrative: This game is shaping up to be an offensive showdown. That’s one reason why I’m taking the over on a teased-down total along with prop picks on C.J. Stroud and Derrick Henry in this +240 SGP.

Check out my Ravens vs. Texans same-game parlay predictions for Christmas Day.

Ravens vs. Texans same-game parlay predictions

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Parlay: Stroud over 224.5 passing yards + Henry anytime TD + Over 44.5 points (+240)

Stroud over 224.5 passing yards (-186): Stroud is at home on Wednesday where he has been a much better player.

This is a narrative that keeps getting pushed but it’s extremely valid.

  • At home (2024): 65.8% completion, 7.5 yards per pass attempt, 93.5 passer rating
  • On the road (2024): 60.7% completion, 6.6 yards per pass attempt, 82.1 passer rating

Stroud is 6-1 against this modest total at NRG Stadium this season.

The matchup is also on his side as the Ravens allow the second-most passing yards per game (254.9) while giving up the least rushing yards (83.1).

That could force the Texans to abandon the run game early on and let Stroud cook for the home fans on Christmas.

Other parlay picks

Henry anytime TD (-180): This leg would’ve felt automatic a few weeks ago but it also carried more juice.

Henry has surprisingly been scoreless for the past four games after tallying 15 touchdowns in the first 11 contests.

That doesn’t mean he’s slowed down, however.

In those four games, Henry averaged 20.3 carries and 112.8 rushing yards. That includes seven attempts in the red zone with a 6.1 yards per carry, per Fantasy Pros.

The Ravens simply haven’t been relying on him near the goal line but how can anyone expect that to continue?

Henry’s been a beast all season. He averages 5.9 YPC and it’s only a matter of time before he finds the end zone again.

Over 44.5 points (-136): This total is too low for a Baltimore game, even on a short week.

The Ravens have gone over this number in all but two games this season and their offence is a big reason why.

  • 433.7 total yards per game (1st)
  • 30.1 points per game (3rd)
  • 48.2% third-down conversion rate (3rd)

To add even more context, the Ravens have scored 34-plus points seven times this season.

On the flip side, their defence can get torched in the air, as I mentioned before. So that leaves the door open for the Texans’ offence to be productive at home.

In my opinion, the standard over is a great solo bet for this game, but I will tease it down for the extra cushion — just in case.

Picks made at 9:55 a.m. on 12/24/24.

Chiefs vs. Steelers Week 17 same-game parlay predictions: Back Mahomes, Hunt on Christmas Day

Chiefs vs. Steelers predictions

The Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers open up the Christmas Day NFL doubleheader.

The pregame narrative: Kansas City hasn’t been very good ATS this season so I’m taking the Steelers to cover a teased-up spread at home. I’m adding prop picks on Patrick Mahomes and Kareem Hunt to craft a +275 ticket.

Check out my Chiefs vs. Steelers same-game parlay predictions for Christmas Day.

Chiefs vs. Steelers same-game parlay predictions

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Parlay: Mahomes over 224.5 passing yards + Hunt over 7.5 receiving yards + Steelers +6.5 (+275)

Mahomes over 224.5 passing yards (-278): Despite having a down season, this is an achievable number for Mahomes against the Steelers’ defence.

Pittsburgh allows the 13th-most passing yards (220.7) to quarterbacks so this is an above-average matchup for the reigning Super Bowl MVP.

And Mahomes averages 240.5 passing yards per game.

The other good news is that the Chiefs’ offence should be at the best we’ve seen since the early stages of the season.

Isiah Pacecho is another week removed from the injured list and newcomer De’Andre Hopkins has been a welcomed addition around the end zone.

As you’ll read later, I’m predicting a tightly contested game which would be favourable for this leg of the bet.

Other parlay picks

Hunt over 7.5 receiving yards (-110): Even with Pacheco back in the mix, Hunt has earned a role in this offence.

The tailback has at least one reception in each of the past five games, clearing this total three times.

This total is so low that Hunt could easily clear it with one catch out of the backfield. Pittsburgh’s defence can be effective at sending pressure, too. It blitzes the QB 26.1% of the time.

With T.J. Watt hot on his tail, Mahomes should be forced to get the ball out quickly at times and Hunt has become one of his favourite check-down options.

Steelers +6.5 (-200): Backing the Steelers on an alternate spread gives this parlay some negative correlation which drives the price up.

But I do think this is the right side.

Kansas City is 7-8 ATS this season despite being an almost perfect 14-1. On the other side, Pittsburgh is 10-5, which is the second-best ATS record of any team.

The Steelers rely on their strong defensive play and QB Russell Wilson has been a steady addition to the offence.

Pittsburgh lost consecutive games by more than a touchdown but before that, it hadn’t happened all season.

Those two defeats were on the road against the Philadephia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens. Those sides have explosive offences while the Chiefs rely more on their defence for success.

The Steelers are at home on Christmas Day where they haven’t lost by seven-plus points all season long.

With that being said, I’m expecting a gritty matchup between these defensively sound sides.

Picks made at 8:10 a.m. on 12/24/24.

EPL Matchday 18 parlay picks: Bet on offence in the Liverpool vs. Leicester City in +354 wager

EPL Matchday 18 parlay picks

The EPL is back on boxing day and I’m sharing a parlay for the action.

The pregame narrative: I like two fan-favourite clubs to pick up a win in the post-holiday EPL slate while also backing offence in the Liverpool and Leicester City match.

Check out our EPL Matchday 18 parlay.

EPL Matchday 18 parlay

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Parlay: Chelsea to win + Liverpool/Leicester over 3.5 goals + Manchester United to win (+354)

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Chelsea to win (-210): The London club is in form right now and I want a piece of the action.

Chelsea is 5-1-0 over its past six games with the draw coming to Everton on Sunday.

The Blues dominated with 75% of the possession and mustered up 12 shots but Everton kept the danger to a minimum in a defensive battle.

Fulham is a decent side but the stats indicate Chelsea is a tier above. Here are a few of Chelsea’s offensive stats and where they rank in the EPL, according to Fotmob.

  • 36.0 expected goals (2nd)
  • 61 big chances (2nd)
  • 6.2 shots on target per match (2nd)

If you are following English football, you could probably guess that all of those stats are ranked second to Liverpool who is lighting the league on fire.

But Chelsea is slowly creeping into the trophy conversation and the club will need to keep tallying up wins.

I like the home side to grab the victory here as its momentum continues to build.

Quick pick

Liverpool/Leicester over 3.5 goals (-182): As briefly mentioned before, Liverpool has been an offensive juggernaut this season.

The Reds score the most goals per game (2.3) and generate chances at an alarming rate (71 big chances created).

Getting in on the Liverpool side is tough here as it is -1,000 to win and -400 to win by two or more goals. However, I believe this is a sneaky way to find value on the home side.

Four of the last five EPL games Liverpool has been a part of have gone over this total. The offence itself has scored two-plus goals in eight straight matches.

The other good news for this leg is that Liverpool has conceded in nine of 16 games this season so don’t be shocked if Leicester finds a way to contribute.

But the idea is that The Reds cover this total alone and take advantage of a bad defensive side.

Leicester City has conceded 35.2 xG which is the third-most in the EPL.

Manchester United to win (+100): Wolverhampton has been dreadful this season with a 3-3-11 record and I’m looking to fade the side, even at home.

The Wolves are 1-0-4 in their last five and concede the most goals per match (2.4).

Manchester United are not in contention to win the league by any means but this is good value against a team in the basement of the standings.

The Red Devils are 1-0-3 in their last four league games but all those opponents are well inside the top 10 of the table.

Before that, Man U beat Everton and Leicester 4-0 and 3-0 respectively. Those are squads much closer to the standard that Wolverhampton provides.

Picks made at 1:24 p.m. on 12/23/24.

NHL prop picks Dec. 23: Back Horvat, Michkov to get on the score sheet on Monday

NHL prop picks

I’ve picked out two props from Monday’s NHL slate.

The pregame narrative: Bo Horvat has good value to score in a plus matchup with the Buffalo Sabres. Elsewhere, I’m backing Matvei Michkov in an intrastate battle between the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Check out my NHL prop picks for Dec. 23.

NHL prop picks

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Best bet: Horvat to score 1+ point (-150)

Horvat has 25 points in 33 games this season and he’s on a bit of a tear.

The centreman has points in five of his last seven games and is coming off a three-point performance against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

Buffalo is as bad as it gets right now, losing 13 straight games and allowing 4.2 goals per game over the skid.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to start for the Sabres and he’s allowed 10 goals on 33 shots across his last two starts.

If there’s any team that you should be finding a way to fade right now, it’s Buffalo. And Horvat is a talented forward who bettors can get behind at a fair price.

Key stat: Horvat has two points in two games against Buffalo this season.

Quick pick

Michkov to score 1+ point (-120): There’s a fairly large disclaimer attached to this bet and it’s that Michkov hasn’t scored in five games.

I’ll try and spin it into a positive by saying it’s all the more impressive that he is second on the Flyers with 27 points in 32 outings.

And there isn’t a better defence to break a slump against.

  • Pittsburgh allows the most goals against per game (3.7).
  • The Penguins also give up the fourth-most shots against (31.7).

Opposing forwards have been lighting up the Penguins all season and this is a buy-low opportunity.

Before his current slump, Michkov had 10 points in the previous five games.

The rookie can be a streaky player and this pick is about predicting the start of a hot streak against a weak defensive side.

Picks made at 1:03 p.m. 12/23/2024.

NHL prop picks Dec. 23: Back Horvat, Michkov to get on the score sheet on Monday

NHL prop picks

I’ve picked out two props from Monday’s NHL slate.

The pregame narrative: Bo Horvat has good value to score in a plus matchup with the Buffalo Sabres. Elsewhere, I’m backing Matvei Michkov in an intrastate battle between the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Check out my NHL prop picks for Dec. 23.

NHL prop picks

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Best bet: Horvat to score 1+ point (-139)

Horvat has 25 points in 33 games this season and he’s on a bit of a tear.

The centreman has points in five of his last seven games and is coming off a three-point performance against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

Buffalo is as bad as it gets right now, losing 13 straight games and allowing 4.2 goals per game over the skid.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to start for the Sabres and he’s allowed 10 goals on 33 shots across his last two starts.

If there’s any team that you should be finding a way to fade right now, it’s Buffalo. And Horvat is a talented forward who bettors can get behind at a fair price.

Key stat: Horvat has two points in two games against Buffalo this season.

Quick pick

Michkov to score 1+ point (-118): There’s a fairly large disclaimer attached to this bet and it’s that Michkov hasn’t scored in five games.

I’ll try and spin it into a positive by saying it’s all the more impressive that he is second on the Flyers with 27 points in 32 outings.

And there isn’t a better defence to break a slump against.

  • Pittsburgh allows the most goals against per game (3.7).
  • The Penguins also give up the fourth-most shots against (31.7).

Opposing forwards have been lighting up the Penguins all season and this is a buy-low opportunity.

Before his current slump, Michkov had 10 points in the previous five games.

The rookie can be a streaky player and this pick is about predicting the start of a hot streak against a weak defensive side.

Picks made at 11:56 a.m. 12/23/2024.

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Raptors vs. Knicks same-game parlay predictions Dec. 23: Bet on Towns, Brunson to produce at +400

Raptors vs. Knicks predictions

The Toronto Raptors play the second half of a back-to-back against the New York Knicks.

The pregame narrative: The Raptors have been competitive all season but this isn’t a good spot for them. I’m combining prop picks on Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson with an alternate Knicks spread to make up a +400 SGP.

Check out my Raptors vs. Knicks same-game parlay predictions for Dec. 23.

Raptors vs. Knicks predictions

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Parlay: Knicks -10.5 +Towns over 22.5 points + Brunson over 2.5 threes (+400)

Knicks -10.5 (-200): Toronto played a close game with the Houston Rockets on Sunday and now heads to the Big Apple with a banged-up and fatigued roster.

For the first quarter of the season, the Raptors have been one of the better teams ATS (19-9-1) but there are multiple reasons to like the Knicks here.

  • RJ Barrett (questionable) and Jakob Poeltl (out) are important parts of Toronto’s early-season results.
  • The Knicks are 8-4 at home while the Raps are 1-12 on the road.
  • Four of Toronto’s players logged 31-plus minutes last night.

This is a tough matchup and with that injury report, I expect Toronto to let this game slip way out of reach in the late stages.

Seven of the nine games the Raptors have lost by double-digit points have been away from home.

SGP legs

Towns over 23.5 points (-108): Towns had an off night in his last game but this is a great bounce-back spot.

The big man is averaging 24.5 points per game while shooting an eye-popping 53.0% from the field and 45.9% from 3-point range.

Without Poeltl, the Raptors have limited options — if any — to slow down KAT.

Toronto started 6-foot-9 forward Jonathan Mogbo at centre yesterday and Kelly Olynik and Chris Boucher ate up most of the minutes at the position.

In my opinion, those three guys are unequipped to defend KAT in the low post.

When the Knicks and Raptors first met this season, Towns dropped 24 points on just 13 shots in an efficient scoring performance.

I predict that New York includes its versatile big man more heavily in the game plan this time around.

Toronto allows the ninth-most points to centres per game (22.8), per Fantasy Pros.

Brunson over 2.5 threes (-120): Brunson is a highly efficient 3-point shooter (44.6%) who gets his fair share of volume more often than not.

New York’s point guard averages 2.8 makes on 6.3 attempts per game and he’s currently on a heater.

Brunson cleared this line in five of his past seven games. That includes a 4-for-8 night against the Raptors on Dec. 9. He also dropped seven threes on 10 attempts against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.

The all-star PG takes 36.6% of his shots from 3-point range so there should be plenty of volume even if this ends up being a blowout.

Picks made at 11:34 a.m. ET 12/23/2024.

Raptors vs. Knicks same-game parlay predictions Dec. 23: Bet on Towns, Brunson to produce at +400

Raptors vs. Knicks predictions

The Toronto Raptors play the second half of a back-to-back against the New York Knicks.

The pregame narrative: The Raptors have been competitive all season but this isn’t a good spot for them. I’m combining prop picks on Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson with an alternate Knicks spread to make up a +400 SGP.

Check out my Raptors vs. Knicks same-game parlay predictions for Dec. 23.

Raptors vs. Knicks predictions

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Parlay: Knicks -10.5 +Towns over 22.5 points + Brunson over 2.5 threes (+400)

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Knicks -10.5 (-182): Toronto played a close game with the Houston Rockets on Sunday and now heads to the Big Apple with a banged-up and fatigued roster.

For the first quarter of the season, the Raptors have been one of the better teams ATS (19-9-1) but there are multiple reasons to like the Knicks here.

  • RJ Barrett (questionable) and Jakob Poeltl (out) are important parts of Toronto’s early-season results.
  • The Knicks are 8-4 at home while the Raps are 1-12 on the road.
  • Four of Toronto’s players logged 31-plus minutes last night.

This is a tough matchup and with that injury report, I expect Toronto to let this game slip way out of reach in the late stages.

Seven of the nine games the Raptors have lost by double-digit points have been away from home.

SGP legs

Towns over 22.5 points (-139): Towns had an off night in his last game but this is a great bounce-back spot.

The big man is averaging 24.5 points per game while shooting an eye-popping 53.0% from the field and 45.9% from 3-point range.

Without Poeltl, the Raptors have limited options — if any — to slow down KAT.

Toronto started 6-foot-9 forward Jonathan Mogbo at centre yesterday and Kelly Olynik and Chris Boucher ate up most of the minutes at the position.

In my opinion, those three guys are unequipped to defend KAT in the low post.

When the Knicks and Raptors first met this season, Towns dropped 24 points on just 13 shots in an efficient scoring performance.

I predict that New York includes its versatile big man more heavily in the game plan this time around.

Toronto allows the ninth-most points to centres per game (22.8), per Fantasy Pros.

Brunson over 2.5 threes (-125): Brunson is a highly efficient 3-point shooter (44.6%) who gets his fair share of volume more often than not.

New York’s point guard averages 2.8 makes on 6.3 attempts per game and he’s currently on a heater.

Brunson cleared this line in five of his past seven games. That includes a 4-for-8 night against the Raptors on Dec. 9. He also dropped seven threes on 10 attempts against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.

The all-star PG takes 36.6% of his shots from 3-point range so there should be plenty of volume even if this ends up being a blowout.

Picks made at 9:34 a.m. ET 12/23/2024.